Razing buildings and raising hopes in post-Sandy Brick

Jun. 28, 2013

Demolition crews work Thursday to uncover Peter Kupper's classic military duece and a half truck that was buried under the second floor of his office along Route 35 in Brick. The building was swept away during superstorm Sandy. / THOMAS P. COSTELLO/Staff Photographer

BEHIND THE NEWS

The Township Council awarded a contract to Waterside Construction LLC and T. Fiore Demolition for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Property Debris Removal program not to exceed $10.8 million for the program on June 17. The council originally awarded a bid in May for $8.2 million but was forced to rebid the project after a license issuing was found with one of the contractors.

During the storm, the two-story office was reduced to a single story after the first floor was completely washed away by surging waves.

“This is the next phase of the rebuilding process,” said Kupper, the owner of Charlie’s Farm Market on Route 35. “We want to move forward, and this allows that. We’ve been living in this for seven months and it’s time to start rebuilding.”

With each scoop of the backhoe, Kupper, 47, snapped pictures Thursday as his office became a pile of rubble. Watch video above to see the demolition.

Kupper’s office was demolished in approximately 90 minutes to mark the start of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Property Debris Removal program in the township.

“We are here to mark the next phase in our recovery from Sandy,” Mayor Stephen Acropolis said during the event at Our Lady of Peace Church in the Normandy Beach section of the township.

“This is the next chapter in our post-Sandy life.”

The program, whose cost is not to exceed $10.8 million, covers the demolition and removal of homes, sand and debris that could have washed onto a property.

There are 300 properties in Brick due to be demolished through the program, Acropolis said.

He expects it will take at least a couple of months before all the homes are demolished.

“This is going to allow these residents to get on with their lives,” Acropolis said.

Brick was one of the hardest-hit municipalities in the area when Sandy made landfall Oct. 29.

The township lost $5 million in property value from the storm, which claimed about 4 percent of the township’s tax base.

Brick has more than 32,500 taxable properties, with an assessed value of more than $10 billion.

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“We had almost 8,500 homes damaged during Sandy,” Acropolis said.

“The faster these homes get back, the faster these families can come back. Our goal is to see it done safely and make it a priority to get it done.”

Under the program, FEMA will be responsible for 90 percent of the cost, with the remaining 10 percent coming from homeowners’ insurance policies and other FEMA funds to which a homeowner could be entitled.

If a homeowner does not have insurance and does not qualify for federal funds, the township will be responsible for the remaining cost.

The money for the township’s portion of the project will come from a $15 million special appropriation that the council made in February to cover Sandy-related expenses, said Scott Pezarras, township administrator.

“This program is going to speed our recovery and help families that have been through so much,” said Councilman Joseph Sangiovanni. “I have spent countless hours talking with families that have lost everything, and I for one am grateful that we have the ability to help them through this program.”

During the demolition of Kupper’s office, crews tried to salvage a 1967 military vehicle that his son Zach purchased a couple of years ago.

The vehicle was stuck under the office.

“I would love to see if it works,’’ said Zach Kupper, 22.

“If it is in good enough shape, maybe we will try to restore it.’’

As Anne Ryan, the owner of nearby Harbor Yacht Club and Marina, stood and watched Kupper’s office being demolished, she could only think of the impact that the program will have on the area.